The Nature of Creativity — Part 7
Creativity applies to every aspect of life
Nearly two months ago, I sat down and rather glibly began to jot down some thoughts on The Nature of Creativity. It did not take very long to realise that the subject would require more than one blog post.
So, here I am, six episodes later, typing the final stanza in that “brief” introduction. Not only has this superficial initiation to creativity far outgrown my original assumptions, but it has spawned ideas for numerous future articles.
Without further ado, as usual, I’ll repeat my call to read any earlier, unread episodes, and to then restate the foundational premise, from Part One.
Creativity applies to every aspect of life. Usually, people only think of creativity in terms of art, interesting thinking, or maybe, hipster ‘making’. On rare occasions, the word creativity may be used within the realm of business. However, it is usually only applied to certain successful, maverick entrepreneurs. While these slightly expanded perceptions of creativity are positive, they do not come anywhere close to the reality. Creativity or destruction are innate components of life. This is true of both thought and behaviour in social, economic, professional, relational, psychological, artistic, and any other area of life. To phrase it another way: There is no part of life that is not impacted directly by the creative-destructive continuum. Recognising the need, and actively practising creativity in every aspect of our daily lives, is therefore vital. If we are not being actively creative, then we are almost definitely, to some degree, being more destructive than we wish or planned to be.
I’m hoping that you’ll notice, as I have, reflections of the other premises in this one. In many ways, I believe this final premise expands upon the others, and draws everything together.
With that in mind, here’s a reminder of the six basic premises:
- All humans are potentially creative
- Art is not synonymous with creativity
- Creativity is more than interesting thinking
- Creativity is the polar opposite of destruction
- Something must always be made
- Creativity applies to every area of life
Not everyone is artistic, but all people are potentially creative. That means that the scope of creativity must extend beyond art, or even interesting thinking, into other areas of life.
As was explored in Part 5, creativity and destruction exist on a continuum. Therefore, all of our actions are either creative or destructive, to varying degrees. If we are not being actively creative, we are being destructive, to some degree, even if only by our inaction. This is reflected in the so-called Law of Entropy (2nd Law of Thermodynamics), which states that all things, if left alone, deteriorate, run down, and/or become more disordered.
Logically, if creativity is the polar opposite of destruction/entropy, then for creativity to occur, something must be made. The flip side of that statement, is that if something is being made, then there is a very good chance that creativity is taking place.
Now, I think you’ll all have to agree that we are all capable of making things. It might be something as simple as making a sandwich and a cup of instant coffee, as complex as sending a rocket to the stars, or anything in-between. We all make things, all the time. We are all, therefore, creative, or potentially so, all the time.
But, what if the “making” does not even have to occur in the physical realm. As kids we created entire worlds in which to play, and got lost in imagination for hours at a time. Sometimes we made something physical, but more often, doors and walls existed only because we said they did, and rocks, sticks, and everyday items acquired new identities as required. Who would dare to say that wasn’t creative?
Most of us actively establish relationships, of different kinds, with different people. We build our self esteem, and our confidence. Sometimes, we make a difference in the lives of others. Healthy relationships, with ourselves and with others, creates something of value, albeit largely intangible. This is confirmed by the very words we use.
So, what about those other areas of our lives that we often don’t think of as creative? What about your work — whether it’s a job, caring for your family, running your own business, or even voluntary service? What about the spaces in which we live and work, or how we transport ourselves from place to place? In these days of drought, here in South Africa, how do we use water? Are there better, more creative ways of powering and heating (or cooling) your home? Then of course, there’s how we spend our free time — or our money? Sorry, did that touch a nerve?
I think you all get the idea. These, and all the other “ordinary” areas of life, can, do, and will benefit from a creative approach. Remember, if you are not being actively creative, then you are, in some way, even just entropically, being destructive. How much better would your life be if you actively applied creativity in its ordinary areas?
It’s not really very difficult to do. Here are three questions that lead to three actions, that if applied, will change your life.
- What if you were to accept, as fact, that you are creative? After all, there really aren’t any negative consequences for doing so.
- What if you believe that creativity can be applied to all areas of your life? Once again, there is no downside to holding such a belief. Just look for the most positive solutions in all areas of your life.
- What if you apply those positive, creative, actively non-destructive solutions to all areas of your life? Once again, living more consciously and more positively can only benefit you, and everyone around you. You really can’t go wrong.
Now, look back at the above points. These three inconsequential questions are all that is stopping you from creatively changing your life.
So, as usual, I challenge you, as I challenge myself, to follow this 3-step action plan:
- Believe that you’re creative.
- Stop limiting the scope of your creativity.
- Apply positive, conscious creativity to every area of your life.
I hope this series has been helpful to you. I’ve certainly learned a lot in writing it. Please do comment, share, recommend, follow, and continue to read my future posts. Thank you.
